Cotton gin rib

ABSTRACT

A cotton gin rib having embodied therein a roller assembly comprising a pair of disks rotatably arranged in the upper portion of the rib, at the ginning point, or the point at which the lint is detached from the seed, the disks being operative on opposing sides of the rib and having a series of relatively shallow tangential channels on their inner faces diverging outwardly in width and terminating in a peripheral series of serrations having their peaks directed counter to the direction of rotation of the disks as they are impelled by the movement of cotton fibers thereagainst as the saw is rotated.

United States Patent [151 3,694,857

Nayfa 51 Oct. 3, 1972 1 COTTON GIN RIB Prima Examiner-Dorse Newton E. N L, '3 y [72] Inventor 323;: g z l Levee S Attorney-Cecil L. Wood [22] Filed: July 23, 1970 [57] ABSTRACT [21] 9 Appl. No.: 57,488 A cotton gin rib having embodied therein a roller assembly comprising a pair of disks rotatably arranged in the upper portion of the rib, at the ginning point, or il the point at which the m is detached from the seed [58] Fie'ld 62 62 A the disks being operative on opposing sides of the rib and having a series of relatively shallow tangential [56] References Cited channels on their inner faces diverging outwardly in width and terminating in a peripheral series of serra- UNITED STATES PATENTS tions having their peaks directed counter to the direction of rotation of the disks as they are impelled 1 g; gardner 2 by the movement of cotton fibers thereagainst as the Ol'emUS v 0' saw i tat d 1,031,703 7/1912 Fordyce ..l9/59 3,369,275 2/1968 Headley ..l9/62 R 7 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures COTTON GIN RIB BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The conventional cotton gin comprises a series of circular saws arranged at relatively close spacings along a rotating shaft, the saws operating between a series of ribs spaced to provide minimum clearance for the saws therebetween and to permit passage of cotton fibers impaled on the saw teeth, but rejecting the seed which are thus detached therefrom.

Some difficulties have been encountered by the use of such conventional equipment due to such factors as excessive wear on the ribs at the ginning point occasioned by the abrasive action of substances, such as dirt and trash, tending to cling to the fibers. The resulting impairment to the ribs will affect the quality of ginned fibers by reducing their length.

Steps toward eliminating such difficulties are described in U. S. Letters Pat. No. 3,369,275, dated Feb. 20, 1968, issued to Charles L. Headley and assigned in part to James E. Nayfa, wherein freely rotative rollers are attached to the rib at the ginning point, or at the point where the fibers pass between the series of ribs, but such rollers are peripherally smooth and are not readily conducive to rotation by the movement of the fibers passing thereover and to this extent are ineffective for the purpose intended. A more positive action of these elements is desirable and which is accomplished by the present concept.

Conventionally, gin ribs are formed of metal, such as steel or aluminum. It has been found, however, that when molded from a suitable plastic material the ribs prove very satisfactory in their resistance to wear and are generally more flexible and less subject to the generation of static electricity or the production of sparks caused by metal-to-metal contact which might result in a conflagration.

SUMMARY This invention relates to cotton gins, and it has particular reference to an improved cotton gin rib, preferably formed of plastic material, having roller assembly thereon at the ginning point.

A primary object of the invention resides in the provision of a gin rib having a roller assembly mounted thereon near the upper portion thereof at the point where the lint is drawn through between the ribs by the saws and where the greatest amount of pressure and the resultant friction occurs to cause excessive abrasive wear on the ribs.

Another object of the invention is that of providing gin rib embodying certain improvements seeking to overcome some of the difficulties encountered in the use of conventional type gin ribs and to enhance the quality of the fibers by eliminating excessive wear on the ribs.

Yet another and important object of the invention is that of providing a gin rib which can be formed of a plastic material whereby the rib can be economically produced and having greater flexibility and of lesser weight than is normally provided in conventional metal ribs.

Broadly, it is an object of the invention to provide, in a gin rib, a compact roller assembly cooperating with the gin saws to insure maximum efficiency in removing the cotton fibers from the seed while reducing the pressures normally existing at the ginning point, i.e., the point at which the fibers are detached from the seed, and to cause the lint to be moved through the rib spacings with greater ease and without undue damage to the staple length of the fibers.

While thcl'oregoing objects are paramount, other and lesser objects will become apparent as the description proceeds in connection with the appended drawings wherein:

FIG. I is a diagrammatic illustration showing the invention in side elevation in association with a gin saw and fragmentarily showing a doffing brush.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary front view, partially in section on line 2-2 of FIG. 1, showing a pair of the improved ribs with a gin saw operatively positioned therebetween.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the upper portion of the improved rib, showing one side of the roller assembly and fragmentarily showing a saw 'associated therewith.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary front view of the upper portion of the rib and the roller assembly.

FIG. .5 is an enlarged sectional view, on line 5-5 of FIG. 3, through the roller assembly showing the nonfriction bearings.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view, on line 6-6 of FIG. 3, showing the lower ends of the upper attaching pad of the rib and the parting lugs formed oneach side of the rib.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged sectional view, on line 77 of FIG. 5, showing the inner surface of one of the rollers, the bearings being shown in broken lines, and showing the attaching pad and one of the parting lugs in section, and

FIG. 8 is a sectional view, on line 8-8 of FIG. 1, through the lower end of the rib.

The embodiment of the invention is best illustrated in FIG. 1 in which the rib 10 is of generally conventional design, having an arcuately shaped body 11, at each end of which are attaching pads 12 and 13 having apertures 14 for flat head screws (not shown) for securing the rib 10 to supporting members in a gin stand (not shown). The rib 10 is installed in a multiple arrangement in slightly spaced relationship, as indicated in FIG. 2, and saws 15 are arranged on a shaft 16 to operate through the spacings 17 between the ribs 10, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

Since the conventional gin stand is well known in the art it is not deemed necessary to illustrate the mechanisms which are involved therein, such as the seed roll box, and the like, and since the invention is concerned only with the improved rib l0 and the roller assembly 18 thereon these will presently be described.

The ginning point, or the point at which the teeth 19 of the saw 15 pass between the rib assembly, occurs near the upper end of the rib 10 at its outer face, the teeth 19 being pointed tangentially in the direction of rotation of the saw 15, as indicated in FIGS. 1 and 3. The cotton fibers, which are impaled upon the teeth 19 are separated from the seed at this point, are drawn between the ribs 10 and are detached from the teeth 19 by a doffing brush 20, mounted on a shaft 21 within the gin stand (not shown), and are dispatched by suitable means to the baling press (not shown).

' The body 11 of the rib is generally uniform in thickness, having a reduced thickness toward its lower end, as shown in FIG. 2, and has an enlarged width portion 22 near its upper end, the opposing faces of which are undercut, narrowing the thickness of the rib 10 outwardly toward its upper end, and defining a recess 23 which is substantially semi-circular, as shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 7, to accommodate the roller assembly 18 which comprises a pair of disks 24, one of which is rotatably seated in each recess 23, as shown best in FIGS. 3, 5 and 7. Each recess opens to the outer face of the rib to expose a portion of the periphery of the associated disk.

Each disk 24 has a concentric boss 25 formed on one face thereof. The disks 24 are assembled in opposing arrangement by first fitting a non-friction type bearing assembly 27 in an aperture 26 formed centrally of the enlarged portion 22 and pressing the bosses 25 into the inner race 28 of the bearing assembly 27, as best shown in FIG. 5. The disks 24 are thus freely rotative together and have their outer faces flush with the sides of the rib 10, as indicated in FIGS. 2, 4 and 7.

The upper shank portion of the rib 10, which is integrally joined to the upper attaching pad 12, has a lug 29 formed on each opposing face the rib outer face, and whose longitudinal axes are perpendicular to the axis of the disks 24 and tangential to and in close proximity to the peripheries thereof, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 7, the purpose of which will presently become apparent. These lugs further define the recess 23 and the opening from the recess at the outer face of the rib which exposes the peripheral serrations of the disks 24.

The inner face of each disk 24 is formed with a series of very shallow channels 30 which diverge outwardly in width and are curved tangentially toward the perimeter of the disk 24 in the direction of rotation thereof. Each disk is provided with a peripheral series of serrations 31, the peaks of which are directed counter to the direction of rotation of the disks 24, as indicated in FIGS. 3 and 7.

OPERATION The seed cotton is impaled on the teeth 19 of the saws from the roll box (not shown) and carried upwardly, the fibers being detached from the seed at the point at which the teeth 19 enter between the ribs 10 and the disks 24 to rotate the latter by reason of the channels 30 and the peripheral series of serrations 31 thereon thus substantially reducing the degree of friction which occurs at this point and eliminating much of the wear on the ribs which would ordinarily result when the lint is dragged" between the ribs.

As the fibers are passed over the disks 24, and these elements are rotated thereby, much of the foreign substances carried by the lint are detached therefrom, when the fibers are brought into contact with the lugs 29, and are collectedin the channels 30 in the inner faces of the disks 24 and deposited out of the path of the ginned fibers. Such procedure will aid substantially in keeping the inner part of the rolls clean.

The invention may obviously be modified in structure and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit and intent thereof.

What is claimed is:

In a cotton gm having a senes of rotating saws operating between a series of spaced ribs for detaching cotton fibers from seed, the said ribs each having a roller assembly rotatably attached thereto at the ginning point thereon, the said roller assembly comprising a non-friction bearing arranged in the upper portion of each rib and having a pair of disks supported therein and rotative on opposing adjacent faces of said ribs, each disk having a series of serrations formed peripherally of each disk, the said series of serrations having their peaks directed counter to the rotation 0 said disks,

the said rib having an enlarged portion formed near its upper end with a recess on each face thereof, the said enlarged portion having a bearing seat centrally thereof in said recesses, the said bearing assembly being mounted for rotation in said bearing seat with each disk accommodated in one of said recesses, and said roller assembly being rotatable by the movement of cotton fibers thereon impelled by a circular saw operating in conjunction therewith.

2. A cotton gin rib as described in claim 1, lugs projecting outwardly from said rib at the upper end adjacent to each disk, said lugs partially forming said recess for accommodating said disks.

3. In a cotton gin having a series of rotating saws operating between aseries of spaced ribs for detaching cotton fibers from seed, the said ribs each having a roller assembly rotatably attached thereto at the ginning point thereon, the said roller assembly comprising a non-friction bearing arranged in the upper portion of each rib and having a pair of disks supported therein and rotative on opposing adjacent faces of said ribs, each disk .having a series of serrations formed peripherally of each disk, the said series of serrations having their peaks directed counter to the rotation of said disks, each disk having a series of generally radial channels formed on its inner surface.

4. A cotton gin rib as described in claim 3, the axes of said disks being within the marginal radii of said saws and having a portion of their radius without he radii thereof.

5. The cotton gin described in claim 3, the said rib and said disks being formed of a plastic material.

6. A cotton gin rib as described in claim 3, said generally radial channels comprising shallow channels formed on its inner surface and curved tangentially outward from the axis thereof in the direction of rotation thereof.

7. A cotton gin rib as described in claim 3, said channels formed to diverge outwardly in width. 

1. In a cotton gin having a series of rotating saws operating between a series of spaced ribs for detaching cotton fibers from seed, the said ribs each having a roller assembly rotatably attached thereto at the ginning point thereon, the said roller assembly comprising a non-friction bearing arranged in the upper portion of each rib and having a pair of disks supported therein and rotative on opposing adjacent faces of said ribs, each disk having a series of serrations formed peripherally of each disk, the said series of serrations having their peaks directed counter to the rotation of said disks, the said rib having an enlarged portion formed near its upper end with a recess on each face thereof, the said enlarged portion having a bearing seat centrally thereof in said recesses, the said bearing assembly being mounted for rotation in said bearing seat with each disk accommodated in one of said recesses, and said roller assembly being rotatable by the movement of cotton fibers thereon impelled by a circular saw operating in conjunction therewith.
 2. A cotton gin rib as described in claim 1, lugs projecting outwardly from said rib at the upper end adjacent to each disk, said lugs partially forming said recess for accommodating said disks.
 3. In a cotton gin having a series of rotating saws operating between a series of spaced ribs for detaching cotton fibers from seed, the said ribs each having A roller assembly rotatably attached thereto at the ginning point thereon, the said roller assembly comprising a non-friction bearing arranged in the upper portion of each rib and having a pair of disks supported therein and rotative on opposing adjacent faces of said ribs, each disk having a series of serrations formed peripherally of each disk, the said series of serrations having their peaks directed counter to the rotation of said disks, each disk having a series of generally radial channels formed on its inner surface.
 4. A cotton gin rib as described in claim 3, the axes of said disks being within the marginal radii of said saws and having a portion of their radius without he radii thereof.
 5. The cotton gin described in claim 3, the said rib and said disks being formed of a plastic material.
 6. A cotton gin rib as described in claim 3, said generally radial channels comprising shallow channels formed on its inner surface and curved tangentially outward from the axis thereof in the direction of rotation thereof.
 7. A cotton gin rib as described in claim 3, said channels formed to diverge outwardly in width. 